Rep. Randy Weber (R-TX) is leading a House resolution recognizing the threat that President Joe Biden’s “irresponsible” withdrawal from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) poses to the country, condemning him for “recklessly gutting” the reserves for “political gain,” and calling on the president to “halt the sale of petroleum products” from the SPR and begin its crucial replenishment.
The resolution, which is to be introduced on Friday by Weber, whose district houses roughly 60 percent of the nation’s emergency crude oil stockpile, was given to Breitbart News for review in advance.
It recognizes that “energy security is national security” and that the president’s “attack on domestic production of oil and gas” has made the country “energy dependent.”
It also “encourages higher levels of domestic oil and gas production” as Americans produce energy “more cleanly and more efficiently than any other country.”
In addition, it urges President Biden to “halt the sale of petroleum products” from the SPR and begin replenishing it.
The resolution accuses the Biden administration of having, from the start, “irresponsibly attacked the energy sector of the United States, halting the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline, creating bureaucratic challenges to the permitting process, and promoting the exclusive use of wind and solar energy (sources that are not entirely reliable), making the United States dependent on foreign powers.”
It also deems the president’s release of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve as a politically-motivated move “to artificially lower gas prices at the expense of the [country’s] national security.”
Over 20 House Republicans have joined Weber in cosponsoring the resolution, including Reps. Andy Biggs (AZ), Mayra Flores (TX), Chip Roy (TX), and Troy Nehls (TX).
In an exclusive statement to Breitbart News, Weber, who holds a key leadership role on the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology (SST) and serves as the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Energy, called out the president’s recent announcement as a recipe to “recklessly” gut the country’s energy defense.
“We are 639 days into Joe Biden’s disastrous presidency, and it has been an all-out assault against American energy,” the Texas congressman said. “One of the most alarming offensives is Biden’s abuse of America’s invaluable Strategic Petroleum Reserve.”
“This resolution calls for President Biden to halt the sale of petroleum products from the SPR and to begin replenishing this critical emergency resource immediately,” he added. “This is no longer about reducing gas prices for political gain; now he’s recklessly gutting our energy defense.”
Several cosponsors of the bill slammed the president for his “reckless” plans in statements provided to Breitbart News.
“President Biden shouldn’t open the spigot of our strategic petroleum reserves, meant for national emergencies, to hide his failed energy policies or to serve his political purposes,” said Flores.
“Doing so, not only puts our national security at risk but also negatively impacts energy jobs across our state and country, and American energy production,” she added.
Rep. Pat Fallon (R-TX) described the SPR as “designed for weather emergencies or national security matters, not political expediency, or an upcoming midterm election.”
“Under President Trump, our SPR reached almost 700 million barrels of oil, now we are approaching levels not seen in nearly 40 years,” Fallon said. “With every draw down that Joe Biden makes; he puts our national security more at risk.”
“His actions and radical energy agenda are unacceptable and a disservice to the American people,” he added. “I am proud to join fellow Texan, Congressman Randy Weber in this effort.”
Rep. Drew Ferguson (R-GA) asserted that from the very beginning of his presidency, Biden has “worked to destroy America’s energy independence — causing prices at the pump to hit historic highs.”
“Now, Biden is recklessly dumping our Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) to try and control prices, after his negotiations with totalitarian leaders failed to get more oil on the market,” he said.
“Thankfully the push under Trump’s administration for American energy independence led to very low prices and allowed the U.S. to fill up the SPR, but Biden is quickly draining our emergency supply, putting America’s national security at serious risk,” he added.
Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) accused the president of “shamelessly compromising U.S. energy security in a cynical, politically-motivated attempt to salvage Democrats’ midterm hopes.”
“Gas prices are sky high because the Biden administration is dead-set on advancing a radical energy agenda driven by left wing climate hysterics, no matter the cost to Americans,” he said.
“I know the American people recognize Biden’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve releases for what they are: nothing more than an ineffective, dangerous political ploy,” he added.
Congressman Roger Williams (R-TX) insisted the president’s decision to “release millions of more barrels of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve is a politically motivated move that compromises our national security and is a shortsighted response to the ongoing energy crisis.”
“This Administration’s anti-energy agenda and refusal to invest in American oil and gas production have led us to this energy crisis and have crushed Texas families with skyrocketing energy costs,” he said.
“It is past time to reverse the damage of Biden’s Green New Deal agenda and unleash American energy dominance,” he added.
According to Congressman Tony Gonzales (R-TX), since President Biden took office, his “disastrous energy policies have weakened [the country’s] energy independence.”
“We should be unleashing American energy, not draining our oil reserves,” he said.
“This politically motivated decision is a reckless move that puts our national security at risk,” he added.
Rep. Brian Babin of Texas, who cochairs the Border Security Caucus, accused the president of having “spent his presidency waging war on our oil and gas sector and draining our Strategic Petroleum Reserve dry.”
“Americans are sick of his reckless and irresponsible actions,” he said. “They want affordable solutions that lead to energy security.”
Longtime U.S. House Rep. Michael Burgess (R-TX) argued that the Biden Administration is “well on the way to scraping the bottom of the barrel of America’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve.”
“Depleting our SPR, which is reserved for emergency global supply disruptions, is irresponsible and yet another political ruse to bail President Biden out from his self-inflicted energy crisis before November,” he said. “The liquidation and drawdown of the SPR jeopardizes our national security.”
“It’s time for the President and his anti-American energy agenda to get out of the way so America can flip the switch and regain our energy independence,” he added.
Congresswoman Mary Miller (R-IL) maintained that “under President Trump, we had energy independence.”
“From his first day in office, Joe Biden has attacked our domestic energy production, begged other countries for oil, and has tapped into our strategic oil reserves to manipulate gas prices,” she said.
“Joe Biden and House Democrats continue to push political policies ahead of the midterm elections that put American jobs and American energy last,” she added.
On Wednesday, President Biden announced his plans to release another 15 million barrels of oil from the federal government’s strategic reserves to keep gas prices low before the midterm elections.
The president’s latest decision marks more than 200 million barrels set for release in less than two years as president, more than all previous presidents combined, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The oil reserves are currently at the lowest level since 1984.
Despite Biden’s historic oil releases to bring down the cost of gasoline, the OPEC+ nations announced their decision last month to cut oil production by two million barrels a day.
The president expressed his disappointment with OPEC+ and Saudi Arabia’s decision, despite administration officials working behind the scenes urging them to delay their cuts until after the midterm elections.
When asked if the current move to release the Strategic Petroleum reserve before the midterms was “politically motivated,” Biden replied, “Not at all.”
“It’s motivated to make sure that I continue to push what I’ve been pushing on,” he added.
Reporter: “Is it politically motivated” to release the Strategic Petroleum reserve before the midterms?
Biden: “Not at all. It’s motivated to make sure that I continue to push what I’ve been pushing on.” pic.twitter.com/a09lOuJmaz
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) October 19, 2022
Biden recently campaigned in California where gas prices are nearly seven dollars per gallon.
When asked about rising gas prices in the state, the president replied, “Well, that’s always been the case here.”
Despite the rise in prices, he continues to take credit for gas prices declining from record highs in the summer.
Follow Joshua Klein on Twitter @JoshuaKlein.
